Day 6 - On The Road Again

Distance: 18 miles

Elevation: 574 ft

Today I got to pick my bike up from a bike shop called Sunnyside Sports in Bend OR. The fix was to buy 29 inch wheels DT Swiss Wheels and hand build them. I was told “They were Bomb Proof”. I sure hope so. I don’t want to deal with broken spokes anymore. 

I took a while to mount all of the bags back onto the bike, i was able to get riding from Redmond OR at noon. 

The kind people who picked me? My cousin, Darrell Hassell and his wife Melissa. I was housed and fed while my bike was repaired. So kind. It was good to get to know them better.

Back to today, Melissa dropped me off in the rain. She felt guilty for it, I believe. Hahah, no way! It was all my own choosing, quicker to start quicker to end. Not much excitement today, only enduring, cold and rain the whole way to Prineville. 48 degrees and raining, no bueno. 

However I did learn something, civilian pilots were trained in the area during WWII. Respect to those people.

With regards to the idea of riding every mile. I skipped 71 miles over Santiam Pass due to bike breakage. I don’t have a problem missing that part at all, it was with good reason, broken bike. Additionally with temps at the top of the pass at 39 degrees and rain. I would have been camping in the weather. I felt it was a prudent decision, just from the safety aspect. 

Scenery is still spectacular, and changing from coastal mountains to juniper forests. The change is stark. I love it. 

Bike performed well, I still feel good.